Daniela Perez says she is devastated to learn Kidsville daycares will be shut down. Perez says she trusted them to take care of her 4 year old daughter.
“I cry not only for my kids, I cry too for the other kids, the babies,” said Perez.
The Palm Beach Childcare Advocacy Council revoked Kidsville’s licenses, after a health department investigation found multiple violation.
Those violations include low staff to children ratios, alleged ownership fraud, and employees being inside the building when they weren’t supposed too.
Perez watched the Contact 5’s Kidsville investigation. Perez saw ex-employee Michelle Spears claim Kidsville staff didn’t always give the children, the food parents paid for. Perez said her daughter “has been losing a lot of weight,” since she started at Kidsville.
Perez called Kidsville this morning, to pull her daughter out of the daycare center in Boynton Beach.
Under a health department order, both Kidsville locations in Delray Beach and Boynton Beach must close by Wednesday, November 23.
“I told them I saw the news. And I asked what's going on. And they are saying, it's just on the news nothing is happening. We are not closing,” said Perez.
The same line given to Alicia Christian-Richardson.
“My ex called them up and the director’s wife Elvira says they are not closing, they are not going to be closing for a couple months. They are going to fight the ruling,” said Richardson.
The Health Department tells Contact 5, that’s not happening. Kidsville’s owners Marshas Myrthil and Jean Benjamin, chose not to fight their license revocation at an Advisory council meeting yesterday. Their lawyer also did not show up, saying they would not be defending themselves.
According to the Health Department, they cannot appeal that decision.
“I'm very angry, I'm very upset. I can't not work, this isn't the 80s anymore. You can only scrimp and save so many places and to be forced to go to another place and have to pay a higher tuition, and pay a registration fee,” said Richardson.
Parents Contact 5 spoke with say they usually pay weekly fees for Kidsville’s care, every Friday.
Some mentioned they already noticed the costs come out of their accounts Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Health Department advises you to call your bank immediately and stop payments to Kidsville if you are concerned.
If you need help finding a new daycare, call counselors at the Early Learning Center Coalition at 561-514-3300.
The Health Department says they will make sure Kidsville closes their doors by Wednesday, November 23 by 5 PM.
